Amy Winehouse Adoption -- Was Planning to Adopt 10-Year-Old Girl

AMY WINEHOUSE

IN THE PROCESS OF ADOPTING

A GIRL BEFORE DEATH

7/31/2011 7:16 AM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Amy Winehouse was preparing to adopt a 10-year-old girl from the island of St. Lucia, the girl and her grandmother told a British paper today.

The girl -- Dannika Augustine (seen above with Amy) -- says she met the singer during one of Amy's visits to the island over the past few years. She says she was living in poverty with her single mom when Amy took an interest in her.

Dannika tells The Sunday Mirror, "Amy was already my mother. I would call her mum and she would call me her daughter. She took care of me and we had fun together. I loved her and she loved me ... She was the most amazing person and I was looking forward to living with her here or in London. I cannot believe she is gone. This is the worst thing that ever happened to me."

Dannika's grandmother Marjorie says she spoke to Amy a few weeks ago and that Amy planned to return to St. Lucia next month. She told the paper, "Amy wanted to have a child so bad. If she had not died, there is no doubt she would be here in St Lucia completing the adoption process. There is no way she would have done what she did to herself if Dannika was with her."